When they poisoned the pests,
I didn’t care, because I wasn’t a pest…
When they poisoned the frogs,
I didn’t care, because I was not a frog…
When they poisoned the birds,
I didn’t care, because I wasn’t a bird…
When they poisoned the air,
I didn’t care, because it was on the other side of the planet…
When they poisoned the ocean,
I didn’t care, because I wasn’t a fish…
When they poisoned the lands,
I didn’t care, because it wasn’t near my land…
When they poisoned the people,
I didn’t care, because it wasn’t anyone in my family…
(besides, those people with MCS/ES were acting all crazy, wanting me to change my laundry products, stop using fragrances, and get rid of my wi-fi, among other things)
When they poisoned the food,
I didn’t care, because it wasn’t affecting me…
When the poisons in me poisoned my unborn children, and they were born with birth defects and challenging chronic diseases,
I cared, but I had cancer and I was dying…
But there was no-one left to care for us… everyone else was dying too…
~ linda sepp
Based on true stories, inspired by Rachel Carson and Martin Niemoller
First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
…
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
~ Martin Niemoller
Niemoller was a Pastor and former junior officer in the Germany Navy who created multiple versions of the text (according to unverified sources on the internet).
.
I don’t like to leave people feeling grim, so I’ll close with a quote from Dr Seuss:
Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 
Great post. it is so easy to ignore a problem if it doesn’t directly affect us.
In today’s news:
Even Before Conception, Parents’ Exposure to Common Chemicals Can Affect Baby
New genetic science shows that children can be affected by their parents’ exposure to common environmental chemicals. But testing and regulation haven’t kept pace.
It’s now more or less common knowledge that developing fetuses are more sensitive to some chemicals than their mothers.
But Grandjean has moved on to challenge another assumption about chemical exposure.
Now he argues that parents’ exposure to chemicals can affect a child’s development even when the exposure happens before the child is a glimmer in the parents’ eyes.
…
http://www.healthline.com/health-news/even-before-conception-parents-exposure-to-common-chemicals-can-affect-baby-080415#1
What a different world this would have been if people had listened to Rachel Carson (“Silent Spring”) so many years ago.
Yes… I would have much preferred that world…
<3
Colleen, I forgot to give you credit for inspiring this the other day <3
No worries. It’s fun being an inspiration. :D
Beautiful words, Linda. ‘When They Poisoned the Pests, I Didn’t Care’ touched my heart. You are a gifted writer. 🐰
Thanks Miche… Something Colleen said the other day made me remember the words that inspired this, and it went from there… I may have been able to refine it some more had I sat with it longer, but it’s more likely that I would have just forgotten it, and left it sitting with the 90+ drafts I have waiting to be finished…
There is a competition for poets who have chronic illness. I think you have a good chance of winning. http://www.writingwa.org/articles/the-fractured-self-poetry-of-chronic-illness-and-p I get that non-finished drafts thing. It’s difficult for me to write lately so they will be sitting there for a while longer…
That poetry thing is for Aussies only… and I don’t think this is original enough, it was inspired by a well known work, and rewritten… but thanks… Hope you feel well enough to write more again soon too.
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